Abstract: Objective To explore the effects of resveratrol (RES) on liver regeneration (LR) and liver tissue naturacl killer (NK) cell cytoxicity in rats with partial hepatectomy. Methods 90 SD rats were randomly divided into control, low-dose of RES-intervened and high-dose of RES-intervened group, with 30 rats in each group, receiving normal saline, or RES at dose of 10 g.kg^-1·d^-1 or RES at dose of 20 g.kg^-1·d^-1 for five days. The 70% partial hepatectomy model was established thereafter. At 24 h and 48 h after surgery, 15 rats in each group were sacrificed. LR index was detected. The percentage of liver tissue NK cells was determined by flow cytometry. The cytoxicity of liver NK cells was determined by ⁵¹Cr release method and the Western blotting was applied to detect expression of PCNA and CyclinD1 protein. Results At 24 h and 48 h, the LR indexes in high-dose of RES group were (1.89±0.04) and (2.45±0.07), which were significantly higher than those in low-dose of RES group [(1.59±0.06) and (2.12±0.05), P<0.05] or in control group [(1.43±0.03) and (1.92±0.05), P<0.05]; the percentages of NK cells were (24.62±1.36)% and (25.47±1.19)%, which were significantly higher than those in low-dose of RES group [(22.21±1.98)% and (22.36±1.78)%, P<0.05] or in control group [(17.36±1.78)% and (18.65±1.69)%, P<0.05]; the cytoxicity activities of NK cells were (48.48±2.69) % and (49.01±2.78)%, which were significantly higher than those in low-dose of RES group [(41.88±2.65)% and (42.32±2.58)%, P<0.05] or in control group [(28.32±2.36)% and (30.12±2.36)%, P<0.05]; the relative expression ofhepatic PCNA and CyclinD1 protein were significantly higher than those in low-dose of RES group or in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion RES could promote NK cell proliferation and LR in rats after partial hepatectomy.

Key words: Partial hepatectomy, Resveratrol, Natural killer cell, Liver regeneration, Rats